Games

6 Best Horror Games Set In Amusement Parks, Ranked

Published

3 months ago

October 8, 2024

Christoph Rediske

x best horror games set in amusement parks ranked

Key Takeaways

Amusement parks can turn into horror realms with games like CarnEvil, Goosebumps, and Until Dawn: Rush of Blood.
Games like Silent Hill 3 and The Park provide atmospheric terror.
Indigo Park introduces a new horror mascot in the vein of indie horror games, offering a chilling gaming experience.

Amusement Parks are, as the name suggests, a place for fun for everyone of all ages, where families, friends and loved ones can cement memories for years to come, and even immortalize them in picture booths. Rollercoasters, carnival games and a whole cornucopia of thrilling attractions await all those who come, making it somewhere horror surely has no place.

Games That Let You Build A Theme Park

Players who have fantasized about running their own amusement park will surely get a kick out of the following titles.

But this is where people would be wrong, as developers have found ways to corrupt these bastions of harmless fun into nightmares. Terrifying mascots with murderous sentience, evil clowns, and rides that seem designed as torture rather than enjoyment are all on display, if there are who dare step foot inside.

7 CarnEvil

Brave the Terrors of the Haunted Carnival

CarnEvil

Systems

Platform(s): Arcade
Released: October 31, 1998
Developer(s): Midway Games

Rumor has it that inserting a gold token into the jester’s skull lying atop the gravestone of the old ringmaster will cause his carnival to rise from the ground, haunted by all manner of horrors. And of course, the protagonists will take it upon themselves to put this urban legend to the test, and of course, the carnival does ascend from the earth, trapping the group within its confines. Arming themselves with shotguns, they tour the spectacularly spooky attractions in hopes of finding a way to escape.

There are three main attractions to the game: Haunted House, Rickety Town, Freak Show and the Big Top, which acts as the game’s closing stage. Each offers a fresh range of new scares as the player fight through enemies via fun light shooter gameplay.

6 Goosebumps: Escape from Horrorland

Indulge in Nostalgia with a Game Based on a Classic Children’s TV Show

Goosebumps: Escape from HorrorLand

Systems

Released: January 1, 1996
Developer(s): Danger Close Games

Goosebumps is a classic franchise well-loved by adults and children alike, bringing tales of terror suitable for younger audiences with a shocking twist that subverts most expectations. Starting out as a series of books, it eventually received a TV adaptation, a movie, and a whole slew of video games, including Escape from Horrorland.

Every Goosebumps Game, Ranked

The Goosebumps series has had a few spooky video game adaptations. Here’s how they rank up.

Set up as the sequel to One Day at Horrorland, Lizzy calls up the protagonist stating that her brother and friend, Luke and Clay, have vanished, and tickets to Horrorland are the only clue. The two must search this horror-themed park in search of the two boys without falling prey to the monsters there. This game is a nostalgia trip through and through, and perfect for fans who wish to relive those golden years.

5 Until Dawn: Rush of Blood

Race Through a Horror-Themed Rides in Immersive VR

Platforms: PS4
Released: October 13th, 2016
Developers: Supermassive Games

With Until Dawn being such a smash hit, Supermassive knew they were onto a winner, and wanted to give their fans more of what they love. This resulted in the concoction of Until Dawn: Rush of Blood, a spin-off game designed for VR, to fully immerse the players in the world of horror.

The game places the player on the tracks of several horror-themed rollercoasters that are bound to give players thrill rides they won’t soon forget. Giant spiders, the Psycho, man-eating monsters and Wendigos are all present, and the player must try to keep their courage and wits above them as they fend off these enemies with the gun in their hands. It’s a short but sweet and effective ride.

4 3 The Park

Reveal the Dark Secrets of Atlantic Island Park

Platforms: PC
Released: October 27th, 2015
Developers: Funcom

For those looking for a short but exciting experience that can be finished in one sitting, they cannot go wrong with The Park, especially if they wanted large helpings of psychological horror. Lorraine finds herself in this park after hours, facing a parents worst nightmare as she searches for her missing son among the dilapidated rides and abandoned buildings. And her fears are going to grow even worse as she uncovers dark secrets about the park’s history.

The main focus here is atmosphere and story-telling, so players won’t be expected to grab a pipe and go to town on monstrosities, nor will they be inundated by jumpscares that pop up far too close to the screen. Instead, they will feel the chill as they walk through the park alone, the story slowly falling into place around them with each new area explored.

2 Indigo Park

A New Horror Mascot Has Arrived on the Scene

Platforms: PC
Released: May 18th, 2024
Developers: UniqueGeese

A new mascot has arrived for horror fans, in a similar vein to games like Bendy and the Ink Machine and Poppy Playtime. Indigo Park was once a popular and thriving amusement park, but it is now defunct and abandoned. Only the AI mascot, Rambley Raccoon, and his friends inhabit this place, now choked in atmosphere. The player must restore power to the premises while trying to evade the dangerous mascots that seem more intent on killing park guests than entertaining them.

Split image of Freddy Fazbear from Five Nights at Freddy's, Charles from Choo Choo Charles and Huggy Wuggy from Poppy's playtime.

Most Imaginative Horror Game Mascots

Mascots have become the face of indie horror, but some stand out as more creative than the rest.

It is clear a lot of work and detail has gone into Indigo Park, as it showcases many rides and attractions players will explore while frightening enemies stalk them. Using locations such as rides and indoor jungle gyms does little to dispel the suspense and dread present in every second of playtime.

1 Silent Hill 3

Savor the Thrills and Terror of Lakeside Amusement Park

The third game in the Silent Hill series is a direct continuation of the first, with the baby Harry adopted at the end of the game now all grown up and out exploring the world for herself. One day while out at the mall, Heather finds herself transported into a nightmarish other-world on her way home, fraught with dangerous monsters and rusted, bloody metal surroundings. She returns home to a dead father and the ominous words of a cult leader that she is the vessel that will rebirth their god.

A quest for revenge starts, which will see Heather traveling across various locations, one of the most notable being Lakeside Amusement, which she visits first in a dream at the start of the game. Giant Robbie Rabbits, a haunted house and carousel are all places players will explore, and all offer their own uniquely terrifying scares. Lakeside Amusement is the location that will haunt players the most even after completing Silent Hill 3.